Phoenix
by Dragonheim
Summary: Panda gets involved in an unlikely and dangerous friendship after a wildfire destroys part of the forest. How will he keep this a secret from the ham-hams?
1. Unwelcome Visitor

PHEONIX

I had a lot of fun researching for this fic. : This chapter will be relatively short, more like an intro.

EDIT: Just realized all my dividers were erased lol. Fixed.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hamtaro.

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The sky rumbled above the bustling Japanese city one afternoon. Though it was the middle of the afternoon, the sky has grown dark and the clouds had turned a bluish hue. Despite the appearance, there was no rain but only thunder. This was especially disappointing due to the fact that there had been a shortage of moisture lately. It was prime drought conditions, which was unusual for the area.

Suddenly a concussive boom shook the town below - a thunderstrike so loud it could be heard for at least a mile. A bolt of electricity had struck a tree on the mountain and splintered the bark, sending hot sparks and pieces of wood in all directions. Unfortunately, the underbrush all around provided sufficient fuel for the sparks to rise into full flames. It did not take long for the fires to spread all about.

After receiving many calls and reports about the bright orange band of flames on the mountainside the fire department was called in quickly to control the spread, but it had already consumed more than half of a square mile of forest. Thanks to the efforts of the highly trained and specialized firemen the wildfire's progress had been stopped within hours, but it would be many days before the ashes would die out completely.

* * *

"Alright, show's over guys. No one's going up into the mountains today or probably for a long time," Boss, the natural leader of the Clubhouse, bellowed. "The hike and picnic are cancelled."

"Aww, Boss! But we already brought all the food! It's no fun to eat it here!" Oxnard complained.

"Yeah, c'mon! We had it all planned! The fire's out, it should be perfectly fine!" Dexter said.

Boss butted in. "Nope. Besides, it's all burned up. There's nothing to look at and all we'll do is get our fur full of ash. We'd be better off sticking around."

Everyone collectively sighed. There was nothing they could do to get the hardheaded Boss to change his mind was he was set in an idea. Panda was especially disappointed. He wasn't planning on going on the trip with the ham-hams, but had wanted to stay back to plan out his latest invention. He had been working on blueprints for a new model of the Ham-Ham Train's engine - one that would run automatically with fuel and not require hamster pedaling. It was going well so far; he was basing the design off of the engines of human cars. Though he was more skilled as a carpenter than a mechanic, he was learning. He was excited to unveil his new development to the ham-hams when he was finished. He had canned many other projects in the past due to repeated failures but was very hopeful on this one to work.

Despite not having complete solitude to work on his project, Panda decided the next best place would also work - Maxwell's library. He definitely sympathized with the man for having to deal with the noise all the time, as he also frequently complained about it and often disappeared into the room specially reserved for him. Panda walked up to Maxwell to see if he could use his room for a while. The tall brown hamster had been talking to Sandy when he approached.

"Hey, Maxwell," he started. "Would you mind if I borrowed your library for a little bit to work on my blueprints? I just wanted some peace and quiet, that's all."

"Why, sure! You can use it anytime," Maxwell said. "But all of us ham-hams are going outside to play a game, don't you want to join?"

Panda considered for a moment, but politely declined. "That's alright. I'm a bit sore from the last time we went out, anyway."

"Suit yourself! C'mon Sandy, let's follow Boss!" he said. Panda watched as all of the hamsters filed out the door and into the long tunnel leading outside. Blueprints in hand, he walked up to the secluded room to begin his work.

* * *

Meanwhile, Boss had already made his way outside far ahead of the ham-hams. He looked around the area, taking in the environment. It was warm outside, though slightly muggy, and clouds covered the sky in all directions. It wasn't the nicest day to be out but it would give them something to do.

Boss heard voices from behind him in the tunnel but ignored them to enjoy his surroundings briefly. He was enjoying himself. The only thing that seemed off was the fact that there was a noticeable scar in the mountainside from where the fires has consumed the woods.

Suddenly, Boss sensed that something was off. His ears twitched around, picking up signals almost like a radar while he sniffed. He looked up and gasped.

Up ahead was a wide brown shape circling the sky around the clubhouse. Its silhouette looked almost like the crows that sometimes frequented the area only much, _much_ larger. The bird's head scanned the ground as it soared about high in the air.

Boss stumbled backwards into the tunnel and stopped the ham-hams before they could pour out into the opening. "STOP! It's not safe!" he panted. "It's an eagle! A huge eagle is out there!"

"A what?" Hamtaro said.

"No time! Back to the main room!" Boss ordered. A commotion had been raised amongst the group as they quickly moved back. Once they had settled back down everyone was trying to talk over one another.

"An eagle?" Maxwell asked. "But they don't fly around the city! Are you sure it wasn't a crow?"

"_Positive! _It was enormous!" Boss said. "It was brown and had a big yellow and gray hooked beak! It was circling _right over the clubhouse!_"

"It must have been a golden eagle," Maxwell said. "I've studied a bit of Ornithology in my time. Those kinds of eagles are native to the wilderness here, as well as many others, but that one matches your description."

"Yeah, but what does that mean to us?" Howdy interrupted.

"Maxwell, what do eagles do?" Sandy asked.

"Eagles, as well as other birds of prey, are extremely dangerous for hamsters. Most eagles eat mainly rodents, you see, which of course includes us. To hunt they circle around until they see a something like a little mouse, then they dive and catch it in their talons before the prey has a chance to react," he said, gaining an audible gasp from the group. "And to top it off, eagles have amazing eyesight. You don't want to be outside when one is overhead."

"What'll we do?" Cappy asked fearfully, pulling his hat over his head. "We can't go home with that thing flying around!"

"We'll have to use the tunnel system," Boss said. "It's extensive for a reason, and there should be a path that leads pretty close to each of your houses. I wouldn't worry much once you get out of the park, but watch out."

"My best advice would be to stay by humans," Maxwell said. "An eagle probably won't approach one as they're afraid of them."

"Why are they here, anyway? Don't the eagles stay in the mountains?" Pashmina asked.

"Normally, yes. But the recent fires may have driven them out. With the land up there destroyed it's hard for them to hunt. All the animals have had to relocate themselves."

"Makes me glad we live the good life with our owners, eh guys?" Howdy added. They agreed.

Panda had heard the commotion from inside Maxwell's library. At first he was irritated but soon became nervous after hearing what they had seen. He didn't come out to join the conversation but stayed and listened. He would have to listen to Boss's advice and take the tunnels home tonight, but not before working more on his invention. It looked like he would need to find some other place to work in peace.

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Stay tuned for chapter 2! Reviews are always appreciated.


	2. The Downed Raptor

**CHAPTER 2**

Foreshadowing. All up in your business.

* * *

Panda stood in Mimi's hand as the two of them peered out the window that night. Her eyes drooped as she heaved a sigh, while they viewed the mountainside that could be seen from their back porch. "Oh, gosh Panda, I wish that fire has never happened. The mountainside looks so ugly now," she said. Panda nodded.

"It'll get better, honey," Mimi's dad said from behind them. "Give it a few months. After winter all the grass and bushes should grow back."

"Are you sure, dad?" she asked her father.

"Positive. It looks bad and burned now, but it can become beautiful again. Think of it as a fresh start for the mountain," he explained. Panda and Mimi glanced back at the hillside and thought about his words.

"I see …" she said with a yawn.

"You better get to bed soon, honey. It's getting late," Mimi's dad said. She agreed and carried Panda off to his cage to retire for the night.

* * *

The next day everyone returned the clubhouse as usual. Well aware of the danger, each of them had gone the entire distance in the tunnels. It wasn't the nicest method of travel, but for now it was the safest. As they talked it appeared none of them had seen any more eagles on the way home. Still, they would be cooped up indoors until Boss gave them the clear.

This, of course, meant a world of annoyance for Panda. The ham-hams had decided to make cardboard swords and fight with them, meaning a whole lot of shouting. Not even Maxwell's library was safe as the sound permeated through the door.

"Sir Stan, here! The bravest swordfighter of all the hamkingdom! I shall protect the beautiful queen Bijou from the evil wizard!" Stan shouted.

Sandy sighed. "Oh, brother…"

"Not if I shall protect her first!" Boss said, and even though he was supposed to be acting Panda knew he probably meant it.

And so on and so forth. Panda worked diligently, studying hard on the inner workings of engines, though it was hard for him to concentrate while every once in a while someone would barge in and then say "Oh, sorry Panda!" but then continue to rummage through all the books. He couldn't continue while someone was in the room because it was supposed to be a secret. He covered up his work.

Later that day Maxwell had called everyone down for an emergency meeting. With all the eagles and hawk and such in the area it was important for everyone to know what to do in case you saw one. We weren't used to this kind of predator before.

"Greetings, ham-hams!" Maxwell started out. "I have taken the time to do some research on birds of prey for us all. As they have recently appeared, it's vital for us to know how to handle an attack!" Everyone listened intently.

"We can outsmart them though, right guys? We've done it before!" Boss said confidently.

"Maybe, or maybe not," Maxwell said. "Birds of prey, or 'raptors', are generally very intelligent. They are expert hunters. There are even humans who partake in a sport called Falconry who use these kinds of birds to hunt down prey."

"Since when have humans needed to hunt? Isn't that what grocery stores are for?" Howdy asked.

"Another time, Howdy! Anyways, eagles, hawks, and falcons are all birds who like to eat us ham-hams. We must be very careful for them when they're on the hunt. When a raptor is looking for prey, it may circle or fly in figure-8's overhead. If you see one of these birds doing this, find cover immediately! Find a hole or log to hide under, or anywhere where it can't grab you. Birds of prey most often grab their prey when its out in the open, although they can find you in brush, too."

"What if there eez nothing to hide under?" Bijou asked.

"Well, then … first of all, I wouldn't recommend being out in the open while these birds are around. But if you really find yourself in a jam, my best advice would be to hold very, _very_ still if you're sure it hasn't seen you yet or run as fast as you can to the nearest hiding spot. If it dives after you as you're running, you should zig-zag to throw it off," Maxwell explained. "Still … like I said, these birds are expert hunters. I cannot guarantee everyone's safety no matter what we do." There was a sense of fear in the air.

"No one's going to get hurt, are they? Ham-hams always stick together?" Dexter asked nervously.

"The only guaranteed safety is in the tunnels or in your homes with your humans. They can't find you there. If we just stick to the tunnel system, everyone should be just fine. As soon as the last cinders die down in the mountains all the eagles and such should move back."

As Maxwell finished up his discussion Panda was thinking of places he could go for some privacy. It wasn't late enough where he had to go home soon, so he had plenty of time. But at home Mimi always wanted to play with him and her two brothers were always running around. The city was too busy also. He would need to find a secluded place in the wilderness possibly. He knew there were tunnels that lead in that direction, though he didn't take them frequently and would probably need to do some exploring. He went up to Maxwell's library shortly and picked up any books and papers he needed to bring with and loaded them into a backpack.

Panda then approached Boss as he was talking to Maxwell. "Sorry, Boss, but I'm kind of tired. I was up late last night on the whiz-wheel. I think I'm going to go now."

"Not keeping your owner up like Hamtaro did once, were ya?" Boss asked playfully.

"Nah, ha ha, my cage isn't by her bed anymore. But anyways, see you later!"

"Thanks for stopping by!" Boss said as Panda walked out the door.

Now it was time to find a good place to work. Panda knew which tunnels led to the city so he decided not to take any of those. Instead, he picked a random path that wasn't often traveled on. Perhaps, like Stan, he would find his own "Acorn Mountain" sanctuary where he could just be alone.

The tunnel Panda had taken was long and dark. It appeared that it wasn't nearly as well-kept as the main tunnels. _"When was the last time someone went down here?"_ he thought to himself. He hiked for what seemed like forever, even more burdened by his heavy load.

Finally there was a hole overhead where the tunnel appeared to end. There was an odd smell in the air. Lifting his head above the rim he saw that he was indeed in the wilderness but not when he had expected. The underbrush around him looked damaged and burned and the bottoms of some of the tree trunks appeared to be charred. Though this area had been clearly visited by the wildfire, it wasn't nearly as bad as some of the rest that could be seen from the city, where only the trunks of trees remained. Panda must have reached the very border of the fire. The air all around smelled burned and it was still overcast.

He got up and walked around for a little bit, then ducked as he remembered what Maxwell had said about the hawks. _"But wait … if they were all driven out into the city, there shouldn't be any here…"_

He stood up again and looked up at the sky. Nothing. He decided to keep looking for a good spot to set up his materials. The hamster kept a careful watch for any danger.

As Panda continued he heard an unfamiliar screech that scared him at first. He dropped to the ground to stay hidden and listened.

The screech was heard again, although it sounded weak. It had come from the same spot, and it had definitely originated from the ground, not the sky. Panda lifted his head a bit and swiveled his ears about. A rustling noise was heard briefly. He gulped.

He raised himself onto his haunches and slowly crept forward to see what the source of the sound was. It could have been just a rabbit or something, which would signify that the area was safe from predators. He lifted his head over the edge of a shallow ditch and then quickly ducked again with a stifled gasp.

Laying on the ground ahead was a small falcon. Panda's heart accelerated. He carefully lifted himself over the edge of the ditch for another look.

Upon second glance the bird did not look normal. One side of its body appeared to be severely burned and nearly blackened, only the down feathers remaining. What wasn't charred away was a light brown chestnut color on its back blotched with black spots. Its flight feathers on the left side had been completely burned away leaving only the shafts, giving it the strange appearance of having quills. The creamy tan on its stomach had been dirtied from laying on the ground. The bird appeared to be in terrible condition - it was breathing heavily and was extraordinarily thin. It looked like it had been in the wrong place at the wrong time when the wildfire struck.

Panda decided the downed falcon would be no threat and approached it slowly. He felt bad for the pitiful creature. He still needed to be wary, though, as the bird might be hungry. Its eyes were closed as it half-rested on its side. The hamster couldn't help but marvel at the creature before him. It was clear that before it had been wounded that it was a beautiful bird. The falcon was not very large at all. Of course, it was large compared to a hamster, but it was only slightly bigger than a songbird.

Panda glanced down at the bird and suddenly stumbled backwards upon seeing that its eyes had opened. It was looking at him. Its eyes, though dark and somewhat beady, looked dynamic against the light gray head. The only thing breaking up the silver feathers of its head was a black streak running down its cheek.

The hamster and the falcon studied each other, each not moving and inch, wondering how the other would react. However, the bird seemed too weak to respond to anything and simply rested its had back on the ground in defeat.

It was obvious that this falcon was not going to harm Panda. He circled around it to inspect the damaged limb. The feather shafts were sticking out all along where the wing should have been, with only the feathers closest to the body remaining. It looked like the fire had burned all the way up to the skin on the wing joint, meaning the follicles there could be damaged. Panda touched one of the shafts only to have it splinter off. He picked up the strange quill-like object, examined it, then threw it to the side. He approached the burned wing again and gently felt it.

"KE KE KE KE!" Panda was forced backwards as the bird violently jerked its wing away from him. It stumbled for a moment and fell back to the ground, glaring at him.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Panda said, holding his arms out to calm the falcon. "It hurts, I know! Sorry!" The bird sat up to roost and pulled its grotesque spiky wing closer to its body. It closed its eyes again and settled down, unmoving.

Panda knew he had to do something to help this injured creature. He couldn't just watch it suffer and die, even if it was a dangerous predator. How long had it been laying out there anyway? It had been a couple days since the fire first struck. The first thing that it would need was water. There had to be a stream on the side of the mountain somewhere. Panda scanned the environment for a moment and then scampered off to find something for the falcon to drink.

As he scampered along he came across a dirt road that cut through the woods. If there was a stream around, there probably wouldn't be one here. Panda let out an exasperated sigh, hoping he wouldn't have to go all the way back to the clubhouse to get some water.

Another glance down the road proved to be useful. In the ditch by the edge of the gravel was a discarded water bottle still with a bit of liquid left inside. Panda hurried towards it and struggled to twist the top off. He could not carry the entire thing back but poured what he could into he cap. Hurriedly, he dashed back to the injured bird while careful not to spill any of the water.

As he got back into the clearing he saw that the falcon had still not moved. Panda whistled to get the bird's attention and called out softly as he approached it. "Here, nice bird … I brought some water …"

At first it raised itself up and took a step away from him, but paused. Panda held out the cap for it, nervous as he was. The falcon watch him briefly, its head twitching about. Finally, it lurched forward and began sipping the drink, startling the hamster briefly. Panda's mouth opened into a smile as he watched the bird accepting his offering.

He laid the cap on the ground and let it finish drinking. That would definitely help, but it would still be hungry. This proved worrisome as the falcon could have easily killed Panda by now if it'd had the strength to. After all, rodents were part of their natural diet. But perhaps there was more that they could eat, too.

Panda needed to find this thing some food, and fast. It probably wouldn't be long before it starved. He needed to quickly get back to Maxwell's library and look up what else falcons ate. He studied it briefly, memorizing its appearance in order to look up the species. The bird appeared to have finished its water and had flipped its bowl over.

"I'm sorry, but I need to go for a little bit," Panda said to the falcon. "I'll be back, I promise! I'll try and bring some food for you. Stay here." The bird, of course, did not understand a word he was saying but cocked its head around curiously. As Panda backed off towards the tunnel's entrance he saw the falcon sit back down and close its eyes once more. He would need to work fast if he were to save this animal. He dashed off into the tunnel back towards the clubhouse, leaving his work behind.

* * *

Fast updates are neet


	3. Must Be A Way

**CHAPTER 3**

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**

It was a little later in the afternoon as Panda rummaged through Maxwell's library. He pulled a heap of books off of the shelf that might contain information about birds of prey and then organized them on the small desk.

He cracked open a few books and flipped through the pages, tossing ones to the side that didn't have what he wanted. Finally one of the books - a birdwatching guide - had a list of many species of birds and included illustrations. He tried to picture the appearance of the falcon in his head and then went through them to find out what it was. Peregrine falcon? No, too dark. Saker falcon? Didn't have a gray head. There were many to go through.

Finally Panda stumbled upon one that seemed to match the appearance: a Common Kestrel. The book showed that these birds have vivid brown bodies with many black spots, a gray head, and a white tail. This had to be the one, though the one in the book looked much healthier. Panda scanned through the words to find its diet.

"A Common Kestrel's diet consists of almost exclusively mouse-sized mammals. Shrews, voles and mice tend to make up most of their diet. On islands where rodents may be scarce, perching (passerine) birds may be hunted. Arthropods may also be eaten seasonably or when the bird can find them. Beetles, spiders, and other bugs will generally be eaten with delight."

Panda's paws became a bit sweaty upon reading the part about most of its diet including "mouse-sized mammals", which of course included hamsters. It appeared that they liked bugs, though, which he could definitely give a shot. It wouldn't be too incredibly hard to round up a bag full of insects.

He went into the storage room, a room where everything you could possibly imagine was to be found. He found a small net after rummaging around for a while. He also found a medical kit, which would probably come in handy. He stuffed the kit into his backpack and went outside to the thick grove of trees in the park.

The bugs weren't incredibly hard to catch, but they did startle Panda more than once due to their quick, unpredictable movements. Once a cricket jumped and hit him directly in the face. Once he caught them in his paws he slammed them against the dirt to subdue them. After about 15 minutes he had found enough to stuff his sack full. It was time to head back to the falcon.

Panda had nearly reached the tunnel that lead to the edge of the forest when a cheery voice stopped him. "Hey! Hey Panda, how's it going?" It was Hamtaro. He ran up from the door of the clubhouse which he had just exited.

"I'm fine. I was just going home, actually. I'm taking the scenic route," Panda told him.

"The scenic route underground?" Hamtaro asked. "Also, what's with the net?"

Panda had forgotten he was holding it. He tried not to lie _too_ much. "Oh, I was out catching bugs."

"Why's that?" Hamtaro asked. Of course he would ask.

Panda thought up a good excuse for a moment. "Oh, haven't you heard? The insect diet is the latest thing. Supposedly it's really good for you. I got a bag full of them here."

"Eww! Really? Well if you say so … I guess I haven't been eating very well lately myself …" Hamtaro said.

"Don't knock it till you've tried it!" Panda called out as he left Hamtaro in the tunnel.

* * *

After a while of walking he reached the hole that led up to the edge of the forest on the mountain. He climbed up to receive a whiff of the smoky air. Yep, this was the right spot. If he was correct, the falcon should have still been in the depression in the ground. He trotted over to where he remembered the spot to be.

Sure enough, there was the bird, sitting on the ground with its eyes shut. Panda took out the med kit and laid it on the ground, then slowly approached the falcon with the rest of the insects in the bag. It opened one eye when he whistled.

"Here, fella … got some food for ya …" Panda said softly. The falcon lifted itself up and ambled forward. It lowered its head and cocked it to the side as it approached, seemingly apprehensive. Panda was nervous. He held open the bag so the falcon could see and smell what was inside.

Without warning, the bird pecked the bag out of Panda's hands and dragged it around, ripping it open with its beak and claws and scattering the contents all over the place. Panda, who had fallen backwards, held his heart after the momentary shock. He stood up once more.

"Messy eater, aren't you?" he said. The falcon froze completely and looked up at him for a few seconds, then resumed devouring the insects. Its burned wing still looked painful.

Panda walked over and grabbed the medical kit that he had set aside and opened it up. Inside were some bandages, ointment, scissors, and other useful things. He looked up at the bird who was preoccupied with its dinner. The feather shafts were still poking out all over the end of its arm. The scissors might come in handy to cut the rest of them off. He grabbed that as well as the ointment, some gauze and bandages.

As he advanced towards the bird he sneakily picked up a cricket to distract the bird with and tossed it in front of it. It ate happily. With that, Panda circled around to the damaged wing. He took out the scissors and began to cut off the remaining charred stumps. The bird didn't seem to notice. With all the feather shafts cleared away it was time to clean up the wounds and wrap it up.

Panda squeezed some ointment into his hand and gently placed it on the falcon's bare wing. It winced and pulled away, its mouth hanging open as though it were angry or in pain. Its body grew stiff. Panda spoke softly to attempt to calm the bird down as he rubbed the ointment on.

When that was finished he gently wrapped the wound in gauze and then placed the bandages around it. Amazingly, the falcon held still for the majority of the operation. When it was over, Panda lightly caressed the bandaged wing to see how the bird would react. It did not rear back to the touch this time, seemingly content. This would help it heal faster and avoid getting an infection. The bird hobbled back over and laid down after its large meal. Its large black eyes were focused on the hamster.

Panda could not help but feel a sort of fondness for the pitiful creature, dangerous or not. It appeared to have no interest in harming him. He tried to walk towards it to see if he could pet it, but at every advance the falcon would shift slightly in order to avoid him. He sighed.

Even with the bandages in place and after having a good meal, Panda couldn't just leave the falcon now. It would take some time before it would be well enough to hunt on its own. He would need to keep returning to nourish the bird back to health, but at the same time keep the falcon a secret from the ham-hams.

* * *

A few days had passed since the initial discovery of the falcon. Panda had once more found himself in the library studying, but this time he wasn't researching birds but instead looking up knew that if he named the bird he would become attached, but he couldn't help himself.

None of the ham-hams seemed to notice where he had been disappearing lately. If anyone questioned, he merely told them that he needed to be home early - a common excuse that most of the hamsters thought nothing of. They didn't typically may much attention to his whereabouts to begin with.

It was almost time for him to visit the falcon again. He had already gone and caught a backpack full of bugs, so he picked one name book and one mythology book off the shelf to bring with him to help name the bird.

Panda had been returning to the falcon on a daily basis to bring fresh food and water. It had definitely gotten better and was hopping around in the basin where he had originally found it. Rays of golden sunlight broke through the treetops and splashed the ground. Upon seeing Panda appear over the hill, the falcon trotted up to him and pecked playfully at his backpack.

"Hey, knock it off, you!" Panda said, giggling as he pushed the bird away. The bird now equated his appearance with being fed and always grew excited at his return. He no longer felt as nervous around it. "Here you go." Panda dumped out the contents of the bag and the falcon ate with content. He picked up the books he had brought with and sat against a tree to help him decide what to call the bird.

Panda looked through the name book first, but didn't quite find anything he liked. He was hoping to find a bird-related name to call it. Instead, he opened up the mythology book he had brought with, knowing that bird were often featured in ancient myths. He flipped through the pages to find what he was looking for.

"Let's see here … _ Garuda,_ a bird-man of Hindu myth … _Quetzalcoatl, _a feathered serpent god … _Roc_, an enormous bird … _Hraesvelgr,_ another giant bird of Norse myth who caused the wind to blow when he flapped his wings … _Phoenix, _a fire bird that was reduced to ashes and reborn again …"

Panda looked up at the falcon as he read the last name. _Phoenix … _it fit perfectly. The bird who had been reduced to ashes and born again…

"Got it!" Panda said aloud. "I'm calling you Phoenix from here on out." The falcon lifted its head to look at the hamster and twitched it around comically.

After eating the bird the bird ignored Panda but no longer avoided him like before. He came up to it to check on its wounds. He lifted the bandages slightly to see how it was progressing.

The scars that had been left looked to be getting better. Some of the feathers had already been growing back near its elbow joint. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for what was at the tip of its wing. There was no sign of any feathers coming in at the end. This was troublesome, as the feathers at the end of the wing were most important for flying. Panda worried that the falcon may have been rendered flightless for the rest of its life.

He couldn't accept that this was the end for it, though. There had to be a way he could reverse the damage and help it fly again. There had to be a way …


	4. Dragon's Wing

**CHAPTER 4**

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* * *

**

More than a week had again gone by quickly. The falcon's health was slowly returning and most of the small feathers that could grow back had begun to do so. There was still no sign of the flight feathers, and that is where Panda would have to come in.

For the past few days the gray and white hamster had been upstairs researching wing structure and flight. The ham-ham train engine project would have to wait. Panda had looked into multiple varieties of wings and found that bat wings would be the easiest to simulate. Long "fingers" and a thin membrane would be all it took. He had gathered up all the supplies, making sure the materials he chose would be light enough to support flight, including balsa wood and a light but strong fabric.

Once he had gotten the supplies together it was time to craft the wing. It only had to be the outer half since the falcon's feathers were growing back on the inner half. Three strips of balsa were laid out in a v-shape and the dark-colored fabric was cut in the style of a bat's wing. Small holes were places on both sides of each section of wood for silver ringlets which would hold them in place. Next was the method of how to attach it to the bird.

Panda had gone back to the clearing in the woods (with food, of course) and taken a few measurements of the tip of Phoenix's bare wing. He decided that he would create a leather "glove" that would fit over it to keep it in place, tightened by a strap. The artificial wing's finger joints would be connected to the leather glove loosely to allow for movement.

Once everything was put together was ready to take his design to test it on the falcon. He gathered up the usual stuff he needed in his backpack save for the actual wing materials which would not fit, as well as a few extra pieces in case his design needed modifying. He carried these under him arm. He would need to avoid the ever snoopy ham-hams on his way out the door.

Of course this never worked, and with 12 other hamsters prowling around someone was sure to notice. This time is was Sandy and Maxwell.

"Hamha Panda! What's that you've got there?" Sandy asked. "Another new invention? Can we see it?"

"Actually, I was hoping to keep it a secret," Panda said, not even lying.

"Hope to see it finished!" Maxwell added. "You've been up in the library a lot lately. Researching some designs?"

"Actually, yeah, I have been. It's going pretty well. I better go, though, see you soo-"

"Hold on a sec!" Boss interrupted, coming up from behind the three of them. They turned around.

"What is it, Boss?" Sandy asked.

"Just wanted to warn you that some other field hams I know have said the hawks are still flying around up there. I'm just making sure everyone knows not to let their guards down yet."

"They haven't returned the forest yet?" Maxwell said.

"Apparently not. Those flying rats. Oh hey, Panda, what's that?" Boss asked suddenly. Panda instinctively hid it under his arm.

"Nothing … just a little test invention. Secret."

"Ohh, I see. Well, you get on outta here if you have someplace to be. Stay in the tunnels," Boss said waving goodbye.

"Uh, alright! See ya!" Panda scampered out of sight into the dark tunnels and then disappeared down the path to the mountain. If the ham-hams knew what he was up to… he was afraid of the consequences he might suffer. The ham-hams, especially Boss, would not take kindly to this potential danger.

* * *

Upon reaching the clearing, Phoenix as usual greeted him happily and pulled off his backpack without prompting. Panda let him eat his food while he organized his invention. The bird watched him out of the corner of his eyes as he spread out the artificial wing. It was rather dragon-like in appearance, he thought. It was time to attach it to the stump on the end of the wing.

The falcon was patient as Panda fastened the leather glove onto it. It fit snugly, but might need some reinforcing in order to not fall off. He spread out the membrane of the artificial wing and backed away to see how it would be on the bird.

Unfortunately, it did not seem to stay open. There was nothing holding it taught and it simply flopped downwards, the ringlets jingling quietly. He could tell it did not feel natural for it as it held its arm at an awkward angle. He would have to take it off and make adjustments back at the clubhouse. He took the unit off Phoenix and set it on the ground. The falcon settled down nearby. It was a good thing he had brought the extra materials and tools with.

After some brainstorming, Panda decided the best way to fix the problem would be to make the outermost length of balsa wood stiff, sticking straight out from the glove. With the bird's joint at the end of its wing it would still be able to fold it up. On the other end, he would attach a cord in a v-shape extending from the body of the bird to the elbow to the tip of the innermost finger. This way, when the falcon extended its wings it would pull tight. Along with that he would need to create some kind of harness for the cord the attach onto. He begun work right away.

After a few hours' work he believed the contraption to be ready once more. Phoenix had been sleeping with his head tucked under his arm but woke up as soon as Panda whistled for him. He brought over the artificial wing and set everything up, fastening on the harness as well as well as the cord. He backed away to marvel at his handiwork.

Phoenix tested his new wing for a moment and rotated his wing about, then opened it up to reveal its full wingspan. It was a success! The wings opened up completely.

"Great!" Panda said. "Now to see if you can fly with it." He attached the remaining length of cord to the front of the harness like a leash to lead the falcon to the top of the hill. He would have to start out small so neither would get hurt. Phoenix stubbornly followed.

Once they reached the top Panda let go of the string. "Alright. Try flying now!" Phoenix stared forward for a moment, then back at the hamster. It didn't seem to understand. "You have a wing now! Go fly!" Panda tried to pry open the wing with no luck. The falcon did not seem to be in the mood for flying. Instead, it turned around and pecked his backpack as if to say, "more food?" Panda sighed with disappointment.

"Really? I go to all this work to make you this thing and you won't even try to use it? Thanks a lot," Panda said with frustration. Phoenix swiveled his head about. It looked so ridiculous when it did that. It was hard to be angry with it.

He sat down by the trunk of a nearby tree to see if it would finally get the hang of it, but no use. The falcon merely hopped around awkwardly. Panda decided it was time to go back home.

"Well, I'm taking off. Good luck to you, you stubborn raptor," he said. He left the rest of his supplies there and headed back to the tunnel before the sun went down.

* * *

Panda was just about ready to head back to Phoenix the next day when Boss had called an emergency meeting within the clubhouse. Even though he assumed it was nothing too important, he sat down with them anyway. They would get suspicious if he skipped the meeting.

Everyone chatted amongst themselves and sipped their cups of tea while Boss prepared his mini speech. Finally he came up to the round table and cleared his breath.

"Morning, ham-hams! As you can see I've called you all here for a special reason," Boss began.

"Is this gonna be another fire drill?" Stan asked impatiently.

"No! Fire drill is next week. Anyways, as I've told you hams before, the eagles, hawks, falcons and such have still not returned to the mountainside," Boss said. Panda's ears perked up. "It's been hard on us hamsters when we need to get around."

"Agreed! I can't wait till we don't have to use these tunnels all the time. I miss fresh air," Howdy complained.

"Do you know how long they'll be here, Boss?" Cappy asked.

"I do not, but that'll come later. The important thing now is to not let our guard down. These things are just as dangerous now as they were when they first appeared. In fact, I was just about to tell you a story I heard from a friend just outside of here," Boss said.

"Go on …" Dexter said.

Boss cleared his throat once more. "I was talking to another hamster in the area who also has a group of friends he likes to hang out with. Apparently they hadn't been taking the warnings. They were outside in the open. The group had been doing this for a while and didn't see anything wrong. But just then, a few days ago - WHAM! A big eagle had swooped out of the sky. It was enormous, with a big crest on its head like a king, they said. It grabbed one of the hamsters without even a warning!" The ham-hams gasped.

The mood in the clubhouse had clearly dropped. "Did … did he die?" Sandy asked nervously.

"Supposedly killed him instantly. The eagle flew up so high they never saw him again!" This was not a reassuring answer. Panda shifted uncomfortably.

Maxwell spoke up. "There's no way we can go out in the open until we are sure these things are gone. Now that we have a first-hand account of a tragedy, we can't …" he stalled for a moment. " … we can't let that happen to anyone in the clubhouse."

Boss took over again. "Be aware and stay safe. Meeting dismissed." Everyone resumed gossiping amongst themselves, mostly over the death of the local hamster in town. Panda remained quiet and watched the others. He needed to sneak out as soon as he could.

As he walked down the tunnel again to Phoenix's location he thought about things. What if Boss was right? What if, after Phoenix had begun flying again, he would start developing a taste for rodents again? Panda would be an easy target. He gulped nervously, then reassured himself. Of course Phoenix would never do that, Panda was his constant source of insects. It never acted threatening towards him before, at least after they got used to each other. Why should it now?

Panda reached the clearing. It looked much nicer than it had the first day he had gone out there. The smoky haze was no longer in the air and blades of grass had begun to come in once more. The sunlight shone down through the canopy of pine trees. The only thing that wasn't right was the falcon. It was gone.

Panda scanned the area anxiously trying to find it. Had it left? A bad feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. He had already grown attached to it an hoped it hadn't taken off so soon. He did not see the brown shape positioning itself on a low branch behind him.

Suddenly Panda heard a whoosh of air. He barely had time to turn around before he felt something grasp onto the scruff of his fur and lift him off the ground.

"_Ahhhh! No!" _he screamed, scrambling to loosen the grip on his back. It couldn't end here! Not like this! Had he listened to Boss's warning and not let his guard down …

It was only a few seconds later when Panda felt his feet touch the ground once more. He was only a few feet away from where he was grabbed. His heart racing, he turned around to see what had lifted him.

There was Phoenix, hopping around and stretching his wings out. He clicked his beak happily. Panda's brow furrowed. "Phoenix! You scared me out of my fur!" But before Panda could scold the falcon any more, he realized something: it had flown.

"You did it!" Panda exclaimed with a sudden change in demeanor. "You flew by yourself!" Phoenix ignored him as he preened his feathers on his good wing. Panda walked up to the artificial one and inspected it. Everything looked great. Phoenix drew back and flapped his wings to fly around the area again.

Panda noticed that he flew fine, but had a little trouble steering. He tended to glide mainly in straight lines. It may help, perhaps, that instead of hooking the end of the v-shaped cord to the harness maybe there was a way to manually control it. But that would mean having to _ride_ the falcon …

This did not seem too improbable.


	5. Lightning Ride

**CHAPTER 5**

Sorry lol. I've been awfully busy. Got a long-ass and awesome chapter here to make up for it. Just needed to switch things up because all I have caught in this section are human ham fics as far as the eye can see.

Things are gonna get intense. Action all up in here.

* * *

Hamtaro was sitting on the coffee table in his human's living room as his owner Laura ate breakfast the next morning. As he waited patiently, he paid close attention to the news to see if he could find anything interesting to tell the ham-hams. Suddenly, a story came on that peaked his interest.

_"…And back to you, Amy._

_Thanks John. Zoo owners in Osaka are telling the public to keep their eyes peeled for an eagle that escaped its enclosure a few weeks ago. A breach in the fabric that kept the bird from flying out was supposedly cited as the cause. The eagle, described by zoologists as an African Crowned Eagle, is one of the world's largest birds of prey with a 6-foot wingspan. The specimen from Tennoji Zoo weighed 26 pounds, an astounding amount for the species. It was described as 'unmistakable', being by far the largest bird in the region._

_Though zoo staff had assumed the bird had passed away after seeing no signs of it, an eyewitness account gives hope that the bird may still be alive and is thriving in the dense mountain forests despite the less-than-tropical environment and the recent fire. However, ecologists warn that the apex predator may disrupt the local ecosystem and drive out other species. Homeowners, especially those living in the mountains or on the foothills, are cautioned to keep small dogs and cats under close watch when outdoors, as the eagle is known to prey on medium-sized mammals._

_Zoo staff advises anyone who catches sight of this large bird to write down information on where it was seen and what time of day, and call …"_

Hamtaro's ears were perked straight up at the screen. Laura noticed this and commented. "What's the matter Hamtaro?" She looked at the screen. "Are you worried about that guy? Don't worry! We don't plan on going to the mountains anytime soon. Besides, he's probably just a big bully."

Hamtaro smiled, reassured. This was something relevant he could tell the ham-hams about their situation. This was the first information they had heard about the predatory birds from the actual human news. As soon as Laura set him back in his cage so she could go to school, he hopped out and scurried to the clubhouse as fast as he could.

* * *

"Guys! You'll never guessed what I heard on the news today!" Hamtaro exclaimed as he burst through the front door of the clubhouse. "The news! It talked about some eagle on the mountain!"

"Say what now?" Stan was the first to chime in. Boss pushed him out of the way.

"The real news? What did it say?" he said sternly.

"It said some eagle escaped from the zoo. And something about eco…eco-_log_-ists saying it was bothering other birds. I dunno."

Boss came up to Hamtaro and grabbed him roughly by the his shoulders. "And? What else did they say? Is that why suddenly we have birds of prey zooming around where they shouldn't be?"

"Did the news say what kind of eagle it was?" Maxwell asked.

"Oh! I think I remember," Hamtaro said, ignoring Boss's inquiry. "That's right, I think they said it was from Africa. I think they said it had a crown. I didn't know birds could wear those…"

"A crown?" Boss said, dropping Hamtaro. "That sounds like…"

"An African Crowned Eagle?" Maxwell interrupted. "That sounds like what you were describing. And no, it's not an actual crown. More like a tuft of feathers that sticks up on its head."

"That sounds like the eagle I was talking about that other day, the one that killed that hamster…" The clubhouse went silent for a moment.

Hamtaro chimed in once more. "I think they said it was really big, too. They said its wings were 6 feet long or something. How big is that?"

"It's slightly longer than an adult human is tall. So quite large," Maxwell explained.

"Makes you wonder how those things can fly," Howdy added.

Boss cleared his throat. "Hey, no one ever answered my question. Is that big lug the reason why we've been having these issues?"

"It may be. Since it's not native from here, obviously, it doesn't quite fit in with the ecosystem and it may cause some problems. I guess I can't be certain," Maxwell said. "I'll have to do some more research."

"If that thing so much as lays a feather on any of you guys, I swear I'll …" Boss said angrily, clenching his fists together. "Any eagle, for that matter, and all the rest of those dirty rotten sky-rats!"

"Yeah! None of those guys are gonna mess with us!" Hamtaro cheered.

Panda, all the while, grew even more nervous. If Boss found out he was keeping the falcon safe he would likely kill both of them, or at least ban him from the clubhouse. He shivered at the thought of losing his friends.

"What's up Panda? You look about as white as a polar bear," Dexter asked suddenly.

"Or maybe a _panda _bear!" Howdy said, chuckling.

Panda, ignoring Howdy's remark, turned towards them with a start. "Oh! I just … y'know. Just worried about these things, is all."

"Aren't we all?" Bijou said. He nodded in agreement.

As the ham-hams continued talking and settled around the round table, Panda snuck upstairs to work on the rest of his contraption. He needed to build a system that would connect his arm to the wing using a cord and some kind of band. He looked through his engineering books to find just the right system.

The finished product looked like it would work, if not a bit rushed. A leather arm bracer connected to the cord via ringlets was what he came up with. And with a series of well-placed attachments on the wing, he could control the wing by simply moving his arm. A harness he created, one that would go around the collar, would also allow him to keep his other hand with a good grip on the bird. With that completed, he shoved the finished product into a backpack hidden away from the ham-hams' ever-watchful eyes.

He had heard that the weather was going to take a turn for the worse the next couple days and knew it was going to be chilly out, so he rummaged around to find something to keep him warm. The best he couple find was an old, ratty red scarf. It wasn't much to look at, but it would work. With that, he grabbed his gear and headed back upwards to the mountain.

* * *

Upon reaching the clearing, Phoenix was exactly where he was supposed to be this time. He had hunched down and fluffed up his feathers in response to the cold. As soon as he saw the gray and white hamster approach he hopped up and ambled towards him excitedly.

"Sorry, fella! I don't have any food today," Panda said, but the falcon didn't seem to care very much. It sniffed his scarf curiously as Panda scratched his head. "Here, I've got something else for you."

Panda pulled out the arm attachment and laid it on the ground. He had left the rest of the attachment on the bird in order to allow it to get used to it. It appeared to be working, as it did not seem to be very bothered by it anymore.

He slowly stroked Phoenix to keep him calm as he set up the rest of the gear. The falcon sat patiently. Panda grew nervous thinking about testing the equipment, but knew it had to be done. At least out of curiosity, that was.

Panda calmed the falcon once more, then with a strong hop got on its back. He felt extremely nervous, but the bird was very calm. As it held still, he slipped the bracer onto his arm and tested it out. Thrusting his arm forward caused the wing to extend fully, and bending his arm slightly back made it fold up. Moving his arm up and down simultaneously controlled the altitude of the wing, which would be vital for steering. It looked as though this could work.

It was getting late already, though, as he had spent nearly those whole day working on his device. The sky behind the clouds was getting dark. He had heard that it might rain later and didn't want Phoenix to be cold and wet all night.

"Here, buddy. Let's make you something to keep you warm. It's gonna start getting cold out." Panda searched around for a good place for the bird to settle down. Phoenix followed intently, wondering what the hamster was up to. A little ways up, the forest was slightly more dense and lined with thick green pines. Panda found a good-sized rock sticking out of a small dirt ledge. The roots from the nearby evergreens kept it secure. It was large enough to provide decent cover, and with a little work it could be snug.

"How's this?" he asked. Phoenix clicked his beak.

Panda took this as a good sign and went under the overhang to dig out a small dirt "nest" for the bird to rest in. He piled up some of the dirt around the edge in order to provide a barrier from any wind.

As soon as he was done, Phoenix appeared extremely happy by the new home and immediately bowled over the poor hamster in order to settle down in his den. Panda walked inside for a little bit and felt that it was warm, with the heat from the earth emanating up from the dry soil and the walls protecting from the harsh wind.

"Sorry it's so dark around here. Maybe I'll bring some matches." Panda added. "Anyways, I gotta go. See you around." The falcon watched with intent as he left, then fluffed up its feathers for a good night's rest.

* * *

The next day Panda arrived early. The weather was going to turn ugly that day and he wanted to make it home before it showed up. Phoenix had awoken to Panda at the front of the shelter. He stretched his wings and preened himself as Panda set down his things.

"Hey there, you," Panda said, adjusting the red scarf around his neck. "I was thinking we could do some flying practice before it gets stormy. I mean that for both of us." Panda himself would need to get used to being on the bird's back if he wanted to control the thing.

Phoenix hobbled over and nudged Panda's bag, looking hungry. He looked up at the hamster pitifully as though he hadn't eaten for months. His beady black eyes reflected only a dot of white light as he stared up at his owner.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to bring you something again! Maybe we can find some if we head up the mountains. It's nicer up there. Besides, we can get your practice in up there," Panda said. He grabbed the bird's harness and led him along gently. The falcon followed willingly.

The top of the mountains had been relatively untouched by the fire and had retained its natural beauty. Lush green pines lined the trails and cast thick shadows below them. The cliffs in the area were steep, but provided for breathtaking views. In one direction was the city, bustling with life, and in the other direction was a seemingly endless carpet of trees. A silver lake could be picked out amongst the woods.

While Panda took in the scenes around him, he felt a brief tug with a *snip*. As he turned around, he saw Phoenix chomping on a small black object. It was a cricket.

"Now how'd you find that? Lucky guy!" Panda said, petting the bird on the neck. Looked like he was perfectly capable of catching his own food. "Why don't we find you some more?"

Panda took Phoenix around the woods and let him loose in order to see if he could find anything to eat. The hamster knew that there weren't many rodents up this high, so he wouldn't have to worry about the falcon bringing back a mouse. Panda sat down with a book that was in his bag and read for a while as Phoenix explored. As he read, the clouds grew increasingly darker.

Finally, it looked like the bird had finished. Panda looked up to see Phoenix trotting clumsily towards him with a live beetle in his mouth. As soon as he got up to the hamster, Phoenix shook his head violently to finish off the bug and then tossed it at Panda. He cringed slightly and put it aside.

"Thanks, but I already ate," he said, wiping some of the juices off his paw. It was now time to test his flight ability before it got too late.

Panda took the falcon by the harness and brought him over to the edge of a cliff. The dropoff was steep, so they would need to be careful. There wasn't any other open spots in the area to try things out, so this would need to do. Phoenix had already demonstrated the ability to glide so Panda wasn't too worried about that.

A water droplet plopped on his nose. Rain? Panda looked up at the sky to see it had grown awfully dark as the day passed by. It had only begun to drizzle, so they might have time if they got things done quickly.

He hopped on the bird and placed his wrist in the bracer, testing it out again to make sure it still functioned. It did. But as Panda looked over the edge of the mountain he grew very nervous once more. There was a very real chance that things could go wrong, but it was likely quite small. He was only thinking of the worst possible outcomes. Panda took his mind off the negative ideas and prepared himself. Phoenix wiggled excitedly.

This was it. He made his decision. With a light kick and a "Hyaah!" the bird took a running start off the edge. Panda's heart was racing.

It jumped cleanly off and began to glide right away. Things were going smoothly so far despite the drizzle. His red scarf blew in the wind. "Haha …. this is great!" he exclaimed excitedly. After a minute or so of just gliding along, it was time to do some controlling.

Panda moved his arm upwards to control the altitude of the wing, and the bird turned to the left. He moved his arm down and it turned to the right. Phoenix seemed to understand and moved his other wing in unison. Success! His did this some more, taking U-turns left and right. He wiped the water out of his eyes.

Next, he moved his arm forward to dip the wing down. The bird lowered gently. As he moved his arm back, they raised in altitude. Things were going much smoother than expected, and Panda's invention was a marvel. He had never felt such adrenaline in his life. How many hamsters could say they had ridden on the back of a bird of prey before, and willingly, for that matter? This might save the falcon's life.

In spite of the successes they were encountering, the rain grew harder. It was no longer a light drizzle but now a full-on shower. It would not have been so bad if the wind hadn't picked up. It was difficult for the bird to fly against the wind at any rate, and it was getting pushed around in the air. Thankfully, Panda was secured tightly. His stomach sank upon hearing a low rumble in the distance.

As Panda controlled his flying mount, things only got worse. He began to grow nervous as his wing contraption flapped violently in the squall. "We should probably be heading back!" Panda yelled over the wind.

Moving his arm to turn the bird around, a powerful gust suddenly caught the two by surprise and pulled them out of control. Phoenix squawked anxiously, taking a sharp dive as Panda struggled to regain control. Another blast sent them the other direction. The wind was growing so strong that the hamster could barely move his arm against it. He could sense the panic in the falcon below him.

A loud crack of lightning was seen and then heard as the pair was tossed around in the tempest. Panda was beginning to have his regrets taking the bird out for a spin. He could barely see past all the rain. Another crack. The flight was growing out of control. It was not supposed to grow stormy this fast! The wind continued to thrash them around and the rain made things slick. Panda held tightly onto the bird's feathers and the harness.

Another fierce gust came up and nearly flipped them over. Panda paniced, pulling the cord hard in order to regain control, but a second violent blast came out of nowhere and caught him off guard.

The cord snapped.

Panda pulled, a feeling of dread washing over him as he didn't feel the resistance of pulling anything. Phoenix felt this and began flapping wildly against the rain. He screeched in response to a loud boom of thunder nearby. They were right in the center of the madness and in the worst of situations. The hamster desperately attempted to grab a hold of the edge of the wing piece, but he was too far away and would risk falling off. An intense draft from above pushed the two downwards forcefully and flipped the powerless falcon.

They spiraled out of control hundreds of feet in the air. The hamster shouted in terror as he plummeted with his mount, attached only by the harness on his wrist and around the bird's neck. He felt so helpless. They were both going to die, and this was all his fault. The wind rushed past them as they went careening towards the sea of trees below. More lightning cracked nearby, the intense light from it momentarily blinding them.

Panda, trying to regain control of the bird, managed to seize one of the parts of the wing. He needed to open up the fabric membrane. He wiped the rain from his eyes. He needed to work quickly as the ground was approaching fast.

Flipping wildly, he found the piece of cord that was attached to the wing and caught it. He repositioned himself on the bird's shoulders and grabbed on tight, then with a violent jerk, the wing opened in full.

The sudden change in momentum caught them off guard and Panda was rammed into the collar. He was briefly stunned as blood streamed out his damaged nose. Phoenix quickly peered back at the hamster. They were still moving quite fast and needed to be careful in landing. The bird attempted to take action while his owner was out of commission and flapped madly as the ground approached.

They came in at an angle, and despite all the effort, the landing was rough. Phoenix's legs gave out beneath him upon coming in contact with the wet grass below, his front end slamming into the ground as he tumbled forwards. A loud snapping was heard as the wing contraption crumpled. Panda's bracers came off and he was thrown from his spot on the bird's back, still barely conscious. They finally came to a stop into the dirt and the mud.

There the two of them laid silently for a few moments, breathing heavily. The impact had knocked the wind out of both of them. Finally, a hint of life was seen as Panda got up. He held his nose and approached the falcon.

"…You okay?" was all he could get out. Phoenix opened his eyes and looked up at the hamster. It got up slowly, looking like it was going to be bruised up, but luckily it didn't appear to have broken anything. Besides the mechanical wing, that is. The fabric on it was torn and the wooden rods that had gone into them were shattered. There wasn't much to be salvaged beyond any bits that were made of leather. "Here, let me get that off you."

He slipped the leather cover off the tip of the bald wing joint. All he left on the falcon was the collar.

As Panda packed up the gear neatly to toss out, Phoenix suddenly jerked his head about wide-eyed. "Something the matter?" Panda asked. The falcon continued to stare and suddenly pushed Panda down. He gasped, startled. Phoenix got down low in a crevice and covered the hamster completely with his good wing. Panda managed to get a peek up to see what was the commotion. They held completely still.

A huge shadow zoomed past the two. Above them, flying amongst the foliage, was the silhouette of a monstrous eagle. Its wingspan had to be over six feet in diameter. As it went past it scanned the ground carefully, but apparently did not catch sight of the two lying low. A large feathered crest could be picked out from the back of its head. Panda couldn't believe what he was seeing.

After it was long gone, Phoenix let Panda back up. He brushed himself off and peered off into the distance.

_"Was that … was that the bird Hamtaro was talking about?"_

_

* * *

_

Before you leave, go check out the illustration for this chapter in my profile! :3


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